, 1887-08-12

A Railroad Catastrophe With Every
Element of Horror.
One Hundred and Eighteen Persons
Meet Their Death.
Four Times That Number Are
Manned and MangIed.
An Excursion Train Goes Through
a Burning Bridge.
Four Hours Fight of Trojans
ResCuing the Wounded.
Human GhOuIs at Work Among the
Smoking Ruins.
Stacking UP the Charred Human
Remnants in Heaps.
Scenes and lncider is of the
FrightfuI Holocaust.
Stacking Up the Charred Human
Remnants in Heaps.
Scenes and lncider is of the
FrightfuI Holocaust.
A Terrible Acc

Niagara Falls excursion train on the 10
ledo, Peoria & Western railway, consist
ing of seventeen coaches and sleepers,
crowded with passengers from Peoria, ILL.,,
and points along the line, was wrecked
two and a half miles east Of C%hatsworth
by running into a burning %culvert. The
two engines were completely wrecked to-
gether with ten coaches and the baggage
car. Engineer McCllntOck was instantly
killed, the two firemen and the other en-
glneer escaping with serious injuries.
The ten cars were piled on top Of the
two engines, being telescoped and
PLED GROSS AND ON TOP
of each other. 1t is miraculous how any
one escaped, as the coaches and engines
do not occupy over two car lengths of the
track. In one coach not a person escaped.
In another only a lady escaped. Seventy
of the dead have been taken out up to
this time, and 100 wounded are now in
Chatsworth's town hall, school house,
depot, etc At Piper City there are a
large number of iniured-over fifty. The
dead are estimated at over 200. The cars
caught fire, but were put out by the train
men and passengers. A heavy rain set
in about two hours after the wreck, before
the wounded could be taken away
1t was a wild throng which surrounded
the union depot in Peoria this morning.
The news of the wreck of the Niagara ex-
cursion train, fifteen coaches and two en-
glnes, had
sPREAD LIKE WILDFIRE.
-Four hundred excursionists from Peoria,
Canton, Eureka and other places, many
of them well known and highly respected
throughout central Illinois, were aboard.
All sorts of rumors were floating a ound
and the number killed was variously est.
mated at from six to 100. At all stations
along the line large crowds had gathered
to hear the latest from Peoria. Some
wild rumors prevailed. but nothing of an
authentic nature could be learned.
When the relief train reached its desti
nation a sad and ghastly sight was
brought to view. Ten coaches had either
gone through the bridge or were piled in
a promiscuous heap crosswise and length
wise of the track.
THE sHRIEKs AND ORGANS
of the wounded and dying could be heard.
The bridge through which the cars went
was a small one. 1t had been on fire,
which was the cause of its breaking. So
far over seventy bodies have been recov-
cred. They were conveyed to the town
hall, school house and on the depot plat
form. No one has been taken from
under the cars and not even a sound can
be heard from them, and it is feared that
all are dead.
PARTIAL LIST OF THE KILLED
The number of killed are estimated at
200. The wounded SO far number $50.
The following are among the killed: Ed
McClintock, Peoria, engineer, aged SO,
he leaves a wife and two children; the
son of Ezra Meek, aged 20, Eureka;
Miss May Law, Eureka; Arthur Nc
earthly, Eureka; James Blair, Eureka;
Mrs, DR.. Ducat, Forest, baby safe; the
wife Of a travelling man of Kankakee;
Godel, father and son; Bill Stevenson
James Deal, Mrs. WIN. Allen, Mrs. VIM.
Regain, Mr.. French, Phena Frahm, Mrs.
Mrs, Zimmerman, Fred Wennette and
daughter Pearl, of Peoria, and Mrs.
Kate Cress, Washington. Cora Smith,
Peoria. is fatally injured. All the bodies
were recovered and number seventy.
They are at Chatsworth and Piper City.
Everything is in the widest confusion
and many are mangled beyond reco gni,
ton.
DR.. Hazen, of Fort Madison, Ia, says
the train was running about thirty miles
an hour. He felt a slight jar and found
himself and wife
FASTENED UNDER THE SEATS,
He pulled the backs off W seats be,
fore he could get his wife out. She was
bruised on the body and both feet were
mashed. His shoulder was dislocated
and had to be pulled into place as soon as
he got out Of the wreck, and in helping
others he pulled it out Of place again
and had to have it reset the second time.
There were nine persons in his party
and he can only hear from three of them
so far. He says he saw Mr.. f. D. Suod.
dard hand his boy out to a lady, while he
crawled back to get his wife, who was
killed.